Little Black Ant on Park Street

I was asked if I wanted to review Janet Halfmann's newest release, Little Black Ant on Park Street which is part of Smithsonian's Backyard Collection. I said yes faster than I could type it! I highlighted some of Halfmann's previous books, including Little Skink's Tail which we absolutely loved! (Click on the title to read my review.)

I was glad to have an early elementary book on hand to explain the world of ants to Bookworm1. While I'm not really a fan of bugs in general, ants I can stand. Mostly. (Unless it was that grade school science book that was ENTIRELY about ants that I was subjected to around sixth grade. Or unless they are Texas fire ants.) Otherwise, ants are on the list of subjects I can stand to talk about and even look at if I must.

The book is simple and basic, explaining how an ant hunts for and gathers food. It explains a ant's nest and what their yearly habits are. Remembering very little of the ant book I read in school, I got a mini refresher course that is perfect for where my toddler is. (Really, a toddler education is fine for me when the subject matter is bugs.) The book reads like a story, documenting one female ant's journey to forage for food and bring it back to the next.

Kathleen Rietz illustrates this book in a manner that compliments Halfmann's tale very well.



There are both up close illustrations of the ants as well as whole scenes being painted to give the reader a feel for the ant's small size in relation to the rest of the world.

I thought this book was marvelous and that Halfmann has done it again! I really appreciate how she helps to bring the animal world to life for young readers. I'm glad to recommend her works yet again. If you haven't checked out a Halfmann book, a good place to start this summer might be Little Black Ant on Park Street.